The Acura TLX is a five-passenger sports sedan that sets the bar in the premium segment. Acura has been leading this segment for generations, and the newest update to the TLX keeps it front and center at the top of its market. The TLX will appeal to those who relish driving and want a comfortable cabin. Audiophiles will find its ELS STUDIO Premium Audio to be among the best systems ever put in an automobile.

The 2024 Acura TLX is one of the best sedans available at any price point. It is hard to overstate just how great the TLX is when one is behind the wheel. Acura started with the driver when it created the TLX. Every aspect of its operation is simply perfect.

In addition to the great driving experience, Acura has crafted a fine-looking automobile. In person, it is low, wide, long, and sleek. Yet, Honda, Acura's parent company, is a practical organization, so when you pull forward into a parking space, the front aero splitter is just a smidge above the curb. No scraping!

The interior is sumptuous without being silly. Acura hits that sweet spot of much better than mainstream without going over the top and running the price tag into the range beyond which good sense would permit a purchase.

The TLX is also “right-sized.” You can fit two adults in the back comfortably, and up front, the TLX is built for grown-ups. The seat also won’t pinch you with dumb side bolsters intended for racetrack days. The seats, controls, and everything that you operate in the Acura TLX work as if they were designed and built by people who take great pride in their work.

If you want a battery-electric sports sedan, then Tesla has one. The Tesla Model 3 Performance trim is a screaming value no matter how you slice it. You won’t get Apple CarPlay, the controls are ridiculously oversimplified, and the Model 3 is at the other end of the interior styling spectrum.

BMW makes sports sedans and also sports coupes in this segment. There are no bad ones in the mix, but if you pull together a BMW with all the features offered by the Acura TLX Type S, it will cost you more money. We priced out a 3.0-liter BMW M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder xDrive with the packages equating to Acura’s Type S trim, and the total price was roughly 11% higher than the Acura TLX Type S. The configurator spit out a price of $64,995.

Let's get something straight. A 2024 Acura TLX Type S with SH-AWD all-wheel drive and any Honda Accord are only distantly related. They don't feel the same when driven, they do not share much that you see or touch, and the powertrains are night and day different from one another. We included this “competitor” to put to rest any thoughts a buyer may have along the lines of “The Accord is the same but costs less.” The top-trim TLX feels and looks nothing like a Honda Accord.

Acura’s 2024 TLX starts at $46,195 in front-wheel drive with its base four-cylinder engine. We tested the TLX Type S with the turbocharged V6 engine and Acura’s amazing Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) at a price point of $58,795. Both prices include Destination & Handling but not added dealer costs such as doc fees.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

2024 is a refresh year for the TLX. The TLX gets a new front-end design, which we found to be very attractive and also practical. The TLX is very low to the ground but not so low that it scrapes speed humps when you drive, or bumps normal curbs when you park nose-in. The TLX also now has a standard 12.3 center screen. Other changes include new wheel designs and new color combos.

Opting for a 2024 Acura TLX is all about the drive. Acura has now perfected the all-wheel drive sports sedan. The 2024 TLX we tested was the top-trim S Type. This trim has very low-profile all-season high-performance tires, and the combination is ideal. Steering is superb. You can feel the car turn with your fingertips, and the inputs you provide translate intuitively to what you intended. Steering is predictable and sharp. Turn-ins result in no lean, and the car grips the road at all times.

The low-slung TLX corners exactly the way a sports sedan should. The TLX makes you feel as though your driving skills have somehow become elevated. You can choose a line with your eyes, and the car magically follows it. You sort of step out of the “human drives car” mode and enter something more like “I am the car.” It really is that good.

Comfort is surprising. We took a look at the low-profile sport tires and figured we would be in for a rough ride over mid-winter potholes, but in fact, the TLX was very comfortable over all road imperfections. We would rank this TLX Type S among the most comfortable and also best-handling sedans we’ve ever driven.

The brake pedal squeezes the Brembos precisely the way you ask them to. The pedal feel is amazing. Better than a racecar firm. Acura knows how to make things feel just right.

The powertrain in the 2024 Acura TLX Type S is so special and delivers such satisfaction it is a great reminder that electric cars are not always the best in class. With a whopping 354 lb-ft of torque from just 1,400 RPMs, the TLX Type S is always pulling strongly regardless of what gear you are in. The 10-speed geared transmission is smooth and transparent. Downshifts from the paddles are rev-matching.

We tested the TLX during the worst pair of storms in two winters in New England. Ice and snow were under the car at nearly all times during our driving. Through it all, the all-season tires and SH-AWD (super handling all-wheel drive) with torque vectoring made travel not just possible but also enjoyable. There is a driver information screen that displays the real-time torque delivery to each wheel. It is easy to see that the TLX’s torque split is nearly 50-50 in slippery conditions, and indeed, the left-to-right split is almost constantly changing to suit the road conditions. The SH-AWD system is simply the best in the market today.

When we fueled up, we were pleased to see that Acura recommends Premium fuel but does not require it.

The 2021 TLX earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick + designation, and when tested in 2020, the TLX earned a five-star rating from NHTSA. That is as safe as it gets, folks. We found the driver-assist technology to be out of the way, and we had zero false positives during our testing. As with any vehicle, the forward-facing sensors did freeze over a few times but went back to work as soon as the smudge of slush was off the front logo.

Consumer Reports gives the 2024 TLX its “Recommended” stamp of approval and says it has a 70/100 reliability rating. In the 2023 J.D. Power Dependability Study, Acura scored a bit below the industry average.

From our standpoint, if you are already buying an up-market brand like Acura, don't skimp. Get the top trim Type S with the SH-AWD system and turbocharged V6. Otherwise, we would consider a Honda vehicle.

One reason to opt for a vehicle from Acura is its better-than-average warranty package. The new vehicle limited warranty has a 4-year, 50,000-mile duration, and the powertrain has a 6-year, 70,000-mile warranty.

• Basic: 4 years / 50k miles
• Powertrain: 6 years / 70k miles
• If buying used, look at our Best Extended Car Warranty Companies

Acura vehicles are often leased by first owners. The upshot of that is there is a population of three to four-year-old TLX vehicles on dealer lots being sold used or as Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. We would opt for an Acura TLX if it were still covered under an Acura warranty.

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